difficulty lies in the fact that

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "difficulty lies in the fact that" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to introduce a challenge or obstacle that complicates a situation or understanding. Example: "The difficulty lies in the fact that we have limited resources to complete the project on time."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

19 human-written examples

The poet T.S. Eliot suggested that part of the difficulty lies in the fact that there is the technical term verse to go with the term poetry, while there is no equivalent technical term to distinguish the mechanical part of prose and make the relation symmetrical.

Encyclopedia Britannica

The difficulty lies in the fact that it is hard to formulate a precise interaction between CO2 and amine group.

Catalysis Today

The main difficulty lies in the fact that linear combinations of tensors cannot be computed or stored explicitly.

Linear Algebra and its Applications

The difficulty lies in the fact that the state equation involve the undisturbed output with unknown parameters.

IFAC Proceedings Volumes

The difficulty lies in the fact that the assurance of the completeness needs user's judgments and the specification keeps changing as requirements analysis progresses.

Information and Software Technology

In such methods, the main difficulty lies in the fact that DMs may have limited knowledge about the problem and their preferences may be inaccurate or even misleading.

Complex & Intelligent Systems

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

41 human-written examples

The difficulty lay in the fact that the mugger would, if not immobilized by the first shot, flip itself into the water with its tail and disappear into a burrow nestled under the riverbank, never to be found.

The New Yorker

The two major difficulties lie in the fact that the panel is unbaffled and is excited by an acoustic field, a system for which the fluid-structure coupling cannot be neglecteda priori.

Journal of Sound and Vibration

The difficulties lie in the fact that the cryptographic algorithm expects that the keys should be highly similar for every attempt for successful access, but it is clearly not the case with a typical biometric.

EURASIP Journal on Advances in Signal Processing

The difficulty here lies in the fact that we deal with only locally Lipschitz coefficients.

The Journal of Mathematical Neuroscience

The main difficulty here lies in the fact that we will have to obtain the L1(R+ Lip(R3)) estimate for convection velocity in the transport equation of (INS).

Journal of Functional Analysis

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "difficulty lies in the fact that", ensure that the 'fact' is a concrete, verifiable statement. Avoid using it to introduce speculative or unsupported claims.

Common error

Avoid using "difficulty lies in the fact that" in place of simpler phrases like "the problem is" or "the reason is" in straightforward sentences. Overusing it can make your writing sound unnecessarily complex.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "difficulty lies in the fact that" functions as a connector, specifically a causal connector. It introduces the reason or underlying cause of a stated problem or challenge. It clearly identifies where the core issue originates from. As seen in Ludwig, it is commonly used to highlight the source of complications in various scenarios.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

70%

News & Media

20%

Encyclopedias

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "difficulty lies in the fact that" is a commonly used phrase to introduce the underlying cause or reason for a problem or challenge. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, the phrase is grammatically correct and appears most frequently in scientific contexts, as well as news media and encyclopedias. While simpler alternatives exist, such as "the problem is", this phrase is best suited for situations where a clear and objective assessment of the root cause is needed. When using this phrase, ensure that the 'fact' presented is verifiable to maintain clarity and credibility.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

the problem stems from the reality that

Replaces 'difficulty' with 'problem' and rephrases 'lies in the fact' to 'stems from the reality'.

the challenge arises because

Substitutes 'difficulty' with 'challenge' and 'lies in the fact that' with 'arises because'.

the core issue is attributable to

Uses 'core issue' instead of 'difficulty' and 'is attributable to' in place of 'lies in the fact that'.

the primary concern revolves around

Replaces 'difficulty' with 'primary concern' and uses 'revolves around' to convey the central issue.

a major impediment is due to

Employs 'major impediment' instead of 'difficulty' and 'is due to' instead of 'lies in the fact that'.

the root of the problem is that

Focuses on the origin of the difficulty, replacing it with "root of the problem".

the essence of the matter resides in

Uses a more formal tone, replacing 'difficulty' with 'essence of the matter' and 'lies in the fact that' with 'resides in'.

a significant obstacle is that

Highlights the hindering aspect, substituting "difficulty" with "significant obstacle".

the main stumbling block is

Replaces 'difficulty' with 'stumbling block', emphasizing the impediment nature.

the crux of the matter is

Focuses on the critical point, using "crux of the matter" as a substitute for "difficulty".

FAQs

How can I rephrase "difficulty lies in the fact that" to sound simpler?

Consider using phrases like "the problem is", "the reason is", or "the challenge is". The best choice depends on the specific context and the nuance you wish to convey. For example you can use alternatives like "the challenge arises because".

Is it always necessary to use "lies in the fact that" after stating a difficulty?

No, you can often directly state the cause or reason without explicitly using "lies in the fact that". For instance, instead of "The difficulty lies in the fact that resources are limited", you can say "The difficulty is that resources are limited" or "Resources are limited, which causes the difficulty".

What's a more formal alternative to "difficulty lies in the fact that"?

A more formal alternative could be "the essence of the matter resides in" or "the core issue is attributable to". However, ensure the formal phrasing aligns with the overall tone of your writing.

When is it appropriate to use "difficulty lies in the fact that" over other similar phrases?

Use "difficulty lies in the fact that" when you want to emphasize that the root of the problem is directly and undeniably linked to a particular circumstance or condition. It's best suited when presenting a clear and objective assessment of the situation.